R/V Sikuliaq

• Ice-capable Research Vessel • Owned by NSF • Operated by University of Alaska Fairbanks • UNOLS Global Class • Homeport in Seward, Alaska

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

After spending early 2026 in Antarctica, RV Sikuliaq is slowly making its way back home! The first stop is Alameda, California, where the ship is waiting to begin an extended drydock period that includes maintenance, repairs, inspections and a badly needed coat of paint.

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Land Ho! R/V Sikuliaq arrived off the Antarctic coast early this morning, marking its first visit to the southernmost continent. The ship is now following the Antarctic Peninsula to locations for two research projects.

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

R/V Sikuliaq is on its way to Punta Arenas, Chile, its final stop before hosting three research cruises off the Antarctic Peninsula. The ship departed Tahiti earlier this week to begin its journey south. Happy Holidays from R/V Sikuliaq!
📷 David Pablo Cohn

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

R/V Sikuliaq is headed to Antarctica! The ship and crew began a long journey south today, leaving Dutch Harbor for Honolulu. After a research cruise in the South Pacific, Sikuliaq will spend early 2026 hosting projects off Antarctica for the first time. https://t.co/3aBxZbktg9

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Technicians finished the final sea trials aboard Sikuliaq before the ship departed Seward for the Beaufort Sea. Some checks are only possible when Sikuliaq is underway, requiring a trip on a small boat to trade places with members of the crew and science party.
📷 Kevin Reinhardt

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

An Arctic oven tent is part of the comprehensive emergency readiness package aboard Sikuliaq. The tent ensures the safety of personnel in case they need to abandon ship onto sea ice. Sikuliaq will embark on its final Arctic mission of the year next week.
📷 Kevin Reinhardt

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

R/V Sikuliaq is back in its Seward homeport to take a break before winter sets in. The ship’s engines are offline for the next month for annual maintenance and general upkeep before it heads north to Nome in mid-October.
📷 Sarah Spanos

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Sikuliaq is underway for the Distributed Biological Observatory cruise, collecting water and biological samples in Bering & Chukchi seas. Sikuliaq's Harry Daghir and Peter Shipton used a landing craft to pick up scientists at Port Clarence to join the cruise.
📷 Gay Sheffield

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

The summer phase of this year’s Northern Gulf of Alaska LTER cruise has come to an end! Scientists are working to better understand the rich and diverse ecosystem through a long-term @NSF data-gathering project in the gulf. The nearly month-long cruise ended in Seward on Sunday.

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Sikuliaq is back in Seward, where it is mobilizing for a cruise to collect deep sediment cores from the Gulf of Alaska. Scientists are examining the cores to learn how microbes have adapted to survive in low-energy environments.
📷 Sarah Spanos

[Ocean Observatories @oceanobserv]

The Papa 12 cruise mobilized from Seward, AK on May 18 aboard R/V Sikuliaq! 🚢

Onboard:
🔹 3 subsurface moorings
🔹 2 gliders
🔹 1 NOAA-PMEL surface mooring
🔹 1 UW-APL Waverider

Next up: deployments, recoveries & water sampling at the Papa array!

📸: Dee Emrich, @WHOI

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

The annual spring Northern Gulf of Alaska LTER cruise has come to a close. Scientists from @uafairbanks spent two weeks collecting oceanographic data in the gulf, part of a long-term project to understand the ocean ecosystem in the region.
📷 Gabe Matthias

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Time to break out that old box of crayons: R/V Sikuliaq is featured in a nifty new coloring book of @NSF facilities. Congrats to Sarah Spanos, whose photo inspired the illustration. https://t.co/gpIiEkxVFv

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Home sweet home!
R/V Sikuliaq is back in its Seward homeport after spending winter in the tropics. After a bear-protection training session by the crew, the ship will host its first Alaska cruise of 2025: A long-term project to monitor the Northern Gulf of Alaska ecosystem.

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

After spending the past five months working around Hawaii, R/V Sikuliaq is on its way home. During its 10-day transit from Honolulu to Seward, Alaska, Sikuliaq is hosting a cyber training cruise and a cohort of @STEMSEAS undergraduate students.
📷 Julian Race

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

The UAF College of Fisheries and Ocean Sciences has a new cooperative agreement with @NSF to continue operating R/V Sikuliaq through 2028.
https://t.co/1895UKiFS7

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Sikuliaq is the host of a new Boxfish Alpha remotely operated vehicle! Underwater ROV footage can help troubleshoot ship repairs, recover items in shallow water, and inspect moorings and science equipment.

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Much of the Bering Land Bridge was a swampy obstacle rather than a grassy pathway between Siberia and Alaska, according to research from a 2023 cruise aboard R/V Sikuliaq. Scientists believe that kept some large species from expanding their range.
https://t.co/1VeGUW3yqo

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Sikuliaq is underway for the 1st of 2 Hawaii Ocean Time-series (HOT) cruises. For 3 decades, @UHMarineCenter has done oceanographic work to establish baseline data at Station ALOHA. Sikuliaq is supporting the research while the RV Kilo Moana is undergoing repairs.
📷 Julian Race

[R/V Sikuliaq @sikuliaq]

Sikuliaq & its crew are spending the winter in Hawaii! The only ice-capable vessel in the U.S. academic fleet has arrived in Honolulu & will be “pinch hitting” in the tropics for 5 months while other research vessels are busy or undergoing repairs. https://t.co/Wwngl6LGIr